Researching
the breed: if you haven't already done so, please complete the AQ*
Airedale Quotient to determine whether an Airedale Terrier is a dog you
should consider. If you've already completed the AQ and you've decided that
an Airedale would be a welcome addition to your family--all members of your
family, please proceed to "Selecting a Breeder"!

A
PUPPY BUYER'S GUIDE:

A pet
is not only an investment but, more importantly, a lifetime commitment. It is
the only member of your family that you have the ability to CHOOSE! CHOOSE WISELY!
Some points to consider:

An AKC registration
form offered with a puppy does not offer a guarantee of quality...nor does a
pedigree sprinkled with champions. As a prospective pet owner, it is your
responsibility to research the breed to determine if it is a good match for
your family. As a prospective buyer, it is your responsibility to research the
credentials of the seller to determine if the seller's interests are in the
best interests of the breed!! Research the breed...then the breeder.

Puppies are
not a mail-order business; conscientious breeders breed to dogs which enhance
their overall breeding program...and often, this means, breeding to dogs outside
of their geographic area! Therefore, do not expect to be able to "see" the sire
of a litter--he may live hundreds to thousands of miles away! Every litter produced
by a conscientious breeder is carefully planned! Conscientious breeders might
produce a litter every year or two! Don't expect to "order" a puppy for a special
occasion (Christmas, a birthday, etc.) and get a "quality" puppy from a conscientious
breeder for that occasion! Expect to wait!!!

Puppies are
a luxury--if not to the buyer, the breeder! Every puppy produced by a conscientious
breeder is more than a dollar sign--it is the culmination of a commitment to
producing a quality Airedale Terrier!!! Conscientious breeders will question
your credentials as a pet owner because they care more about the individual
puppy and the future of the breed than about making money! Conscientious breeders
will, therefore, invite you to visit their premises and encourage you to learn
about the breed. A good home is more important to them than a check in the bank!

Puppies should
never be offered as "gifts"; the puppy or dog that appeals to one person may
not appeal to another; if someone wants a puppy they should be afforded the
opportunity to choose the breed of dog which appeals to them in terms of its
temperament and general characteristics. Even if you know the breed of preference
of the recipient, give a "gift certificate" to a conscientious breeder instead
and let them choose the puppy that "wins their heart"!

Puppies are
not toys that you can dispense with when no longer amusing; they grow up to
be adult dogs...but their dependence on humans, never ends! Many purebred dogs
(not to speak of mixed-breeds) are "purchased" as toys and many are euthanized
in animal shelters every year because people no longer found them "cute" or
"amusing"! Should you take this responsibility lightly, we encourage you to
"witness" the "act of kindness" that deprives a perfectly healthy living creature
of its life--and to understand and accept your responsibility in that process!

Puppies are
not "meal-tickets" or potential "moneymakers" for a prospective owner. A conscientious
breeder is concerned about overpopulation of not just the breed, but the species!
To that end, conscientious breeders will place all "pet" puppies on limited
registrations and/or spay/neuter contracts to ensure both the integrity of the
breed and to limit commercialization of the breed! (And, please understand that
a "pet" puppy produced by a conscientious breeder might be a "show" prospect
of the wrong sex, or with a soft coat, or perhaps doesn't have just the right
ear set!)

Puppies are
breakable! A well-meaning but overzealous human can cause injury to a puppy!
Though, sometimes, the injury may take months or even years to manifest, the
damage done may be irreversible! Prospective puppy buyers should learn how to
best care for their puppy and provide for its needs. Conscientious breeders
will educate buyers about the puppy's needs, dietary requirements, and safeguards
for its health!

Puppies are
not educational tools or "exercises in responsibility" for children. Nor are
they self-sustaining. They depend on the care of responsible (i.e., adult) human
beings for their lives. If "teaching" your child responsibility by purchasing
a pet is your primary motivation for purchasing a puppy, get a "Chia Pet" not
a puppy.

Puppies don't
come preprogrammed! They must be trained! Puppies don't understand that chocolate
or daffodils might be toxic to them; that cars can run over them, or that electrical
cords might electrocute them! Many puppies have sustained grievous injuries
by being granted more freedom than they have earned!If you cannot supervise
them, confine them! If you don't have the time to "train" them, don't buy them!

Puppies are
not a finished product! That same adorable (8 pound) Airedale puppy becomes
a gangly, awkward but enthusiastic adolescent, which becomes a demanding, active
(50+ pound--and PLEASE remember that medications, etc., are based on weight
so the more the dog weighs the more $s you spend) adult, which, eventually,
becomes an aging pet with special needs. If you are not willing to commit to
all of the stages of this puppy's life through its geriatric years, don't purchase
the puppy!

Puppies may
bond with or be purchased for a single family member, but their acceptance and
emotional health depends on the approval and support of the whole family! Airedale
Terriers are extremely sensitive and adept at "reading" their human counterparts;
they will react accordingly. Make sure that every family member accepts and
is willing to make a commitment to the puppy!

Puppies don't
come with warranties--they are not refrigerators or other inanimate objects,
but living creatures: no matter how conscientious the breeder, that breeder
cannot guarantee the health of every puppy they produce! Conscientious breeders,
however, make commitments to both the purchaser and to the puppy; they will
refund your purchase price or replace the puppy if that puppy should evidence
heritable genetic defects.

Puppies are,
unhappily, often nonreturnable (though conscientious breeders will always take
a misplaced puppy or dog back)! The wrong "choice" of a pet can be, at best,
a nuisance; at worst, intolerable, in an inappropriate and non-supportive home.
It is far easier to purchase a puppy than it is to rehome an adult dog; and
less cruel to relinquish a puppy to a more appropriate home than to abandon
an adult, and less adoptable dog, to a shelter!

Puppies are
not inexpensive. You may be able to cut financial corners by buying from a "backyard
breeder" or a "pet shop"-- both of whom sell pet-quality puppies at show-quality
prices, and you may have gained a few dollars up front. But, the costs of that
puppy for routine vaccinations, health checks, replacement of objects destroyed;
potential health problems, etc., remain the same. Conscientious breeders do
their best to ensure that you are educated in how to care for your puppy: that
the puppy you purchase is healthy and free of heritable defects; and they will
stand behind that puppy if problems arise!

Puppies are
not status symbols--many breeds have gained notoriety through the media and
films; people have purchased puppies because they're "in", or somehow equate
to a status symbol! It is not the responsibility of any puppy or dog to afford
you social standing or acceptance. It is, however, your responsibility, as a
pet owner, to afford them the care that
they deserve as living creatures! A conscientious breeder will help you determine
if this is the right breed for your family and, if it is, help you in selecting
a puppy best suited to your needs and lifestyle!

No intervention
from humans can eradicate the basic instincts of the "founding" species--wolves!
Just as humans do "human" things, dogs do "dog" things; they do bark, they do
dig, they do play, and, if necessary (in their minds), they do kill or destroy!
If you're not prepared to deal with the things dogs do, don't do the dog "thing!"

Many "texts"
on the Airedale Terrier recommend that you shun the "shy, reserved puppy" because
that puppy does not represent true "Airedale" temperament. "Airedale temperament"
is a generic term which does not reflect individual idiosyncracies...or owner
preferences! Dogs are pack animals and in every pack there is a hierarchy. That
same "shy" puppy when allowed a degree of independence from its "oppressors"
may, in fact, blossom! That same "shy" puppy might be the best companion you
ever had!

If you want
a puppy or a dog, take the time to determine the type of dog that best suits
your lifestyle and preferences--investigate breeds, learn about their temperaments
and characteristics! (If you think you might want an Airedale, please complete
the AQ*)! The more carefully you research your
options, the better the chances your choice will be a rewarding one!

For more information about
the Airedale Terrier, please consult the ADT
FAQ! For more information about breeders, please contact www.airedale.org.